


Favors

by paperjoy



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Ambiguous Gender, Cooking, Minor Violence, Suspense, Swearing, more tags to come as the story develops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-10 21:20:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8939749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperjoy/pseuds/paperjoy
Summary: You end up saving his life and what do you get? Well, we'll just have to wait and find out.





	1. Headache

The ceiling fan spun slowly, lulling you into a lethargic state. Head titled, your eyes moved with the blades and your thoughts dissipated like the sweat on your brow. With an exhale, you fall backwards upon your bed. 

“Another day, huh?”

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. The air was hot and heavy and caused you to feel even drowsier, reminding you of the pain of not having working A/C. You do your best to ignore the sweat beads forming on your skin. Your attention shifts as you make out the sound of faint fluttering. It was drawing closer with each passing moment, but was still so faint. Whatever was approaching landed with a tiny *plop* and made its way to you. You feel your hair being tugged ever so slightly. 

“Hey Cutie, how’s it going?” You murmured, eyes still closed. You go to caress the small creature with your index finger, its body covered in soft fuzz, and you’re greeted with a few chirps and squeaks.

“Does my sweat smell like sweet nectar to you?” 

The bee fly Pokémon simply nudged your finger one last time and hovered over you. You felt its tiny feet tickle your face repeatedly, causing you to fidget.

“Pfffttt, okay, okay, I’m getting up!” Laughing a bit, you bring yourself to stand up again. Pokémon sure had a way of knowing how lift the mood. 

Reaching upwards, you stretch out your body, twisting left and right, feeling your bones crack and pop. You sigh in relief and make your way to the kitchen. Scoping out the fridge, you grab a bottle of Fresh Water. As you pulled out the bottle, condensation formed on its glassed surface almost immediately. You attempt to wipe as much moisture away before popping off the cap and taking a big swig. It brings some relief to your heated state, if only for a few moments. You put a few drops into the cap and leave it out for your Cutiefly, who happily sipped the refreshing liquid. 

You saunter over to the couch now and flip on the TV. A familiar catchy tune plays and your head sways back and forth in time with the music. 

There are mounds of malasada waitin’ for you!  
Join us to enjoy some marvelous malasada! ♪  
Alola, fans! Let me tell you that today…♪  
We’ll try that unique taste: A Bitter Malasada!  
Let’s dig in at once! ♪  
*munch munch*  
Mmmph! It’s…it’s just so—!  
It’s so bitter! I don’t mean to look so bitter, too, but my tongue feels like I licked a Togedemaru!  
You should definitely share one with one of your Pokémon that loves bitter flavors! ♪  
Tune in again for more munchies! ♪  
There are mounds of malasadas waiting! ♪

*rumble grumble rumble* Your stomach growls as you watch a variety of malasadas being consumed. You had a decent breakfast early in the morning and had hardly done anything. You wondered why you were so hungry and just as you were thinking that, a bit of saliva rolls down your chin. 

“Oh my god, seriously?” You muttered whilst wiping your salivation away. 

Only way to fix this was to make some grub. However, when you were looking in the fridge earlier, there were only a few pieces of fruit and bottled drinks – nothing substantial enough to fill your ever-growing hunger. You groaned at the thought of having to leave the house. It was your day off from constant battling and running around. You enjoyed the thrill of it all, but being the champion of an entire region was a very exhausting job. Every person and their mother wanted to challenge you. Your eyes narrow as you remember that there was in fact a mother that challenged you when her kid was beaten. After you defeated her in battle, she threw one of her sandals at you. A bit of sand got in your eye and the shoe left an imprint on your face. Not the most pleasant memory. 

You shake your head and reluctantly push yourself to get dressed, attempting to pick an outfit that would make you not as recognizable. Plain white V-neck shirt. Check. Khaki shorts. Check. And to top it all off, you twist your hair into a bun and put on a pair of black horn-rimmed glasses, which you rarely ever wore except to read. You look in the mirror to make sure everything looked as unremarkable as possible, noting the Z-ring on your wrist. 

“Well, there aren’t going to be any battles today, so no sense in bringing this with me.” You thought, praying this would remain true.

You unclip the bracelet from your left wrist and place it gently on top of your drawer. You felt a strange emptiness on your wrist where the bracelet had been. You hadn’t taken it off since Kahuna Hala gave it to you on your first day at your new home. A thought occurred to you. 

“Wait, have I really never taken this off?”

You reflect for a moment over the past year. You wore the bracelet during battles for sure. When you were traveling. Grocery shopping. Eating dinner. In the shower. Even when you slept. 

“Oh.” 

Brushing that thought aside, your hand hovers over a few of your Poké balls. Just in case, you grab 3 of them and clip them to the inside of your bag. Only part of your team was needed, in the event you did happen to battle on your way into the city. You headed towards the front door and slipped on your sneakers. As you worked on tying your shoelaces, Cutiefly hovered around your face and tilted its body, as if asking you a question. You raised your hand, allowing it to land and blew a small kiss.

“I’m just going out to grab some groceries in town. I’ll be back soon, okay?” You reassured it. 

This seemed to satisfy the small creature as it floated to the flower box resting outside one of the windows. You stood up and made your way outside, in the direction towards Hau’oli City. You breezed by the Poké Center, which you observed was a bit smaller than other centers you had encountered. You watched a few kids in the Trainer’s School fields battling and attempting to prove their worth. It wasn’t long before you reached the Beachfront, passing a few locals and tourists. No one seemed to notice you and you felt relieved. What also helped was the fact that you looked more like a local than someone from Kanto; dark hair, dark irises, and light brown skin, which had become darker due to the Alolan sun. You did your best to prevent the tan with sunscreen, but there was no avoiding it. 

Eventually, you came upon the food mart and went through its automatic doors. The air conditioning enveloped you and you couldn’t help but shiver from the temperature difference. It did feel nice to be out of the heat though. You grab a basket and stroll down the aisles, picking up some produce and grains. In the freezer section, you select a few packs of meat, dairy, and a popsicle. For good measure. You look at your basket, making sure you had everything you needed. You proceed to pay and set out for home. 

You take the popsicle out of your grocery bag and begin sucking on the cool treat. The delicious flavors of mango and coconut fill your senses. It was perfect for an extra hot day like this. You look into the distance and see that the sun was a bit lower in the sky at this point. A pleasant sea breeze blew in from the coast causing you to shiver again. 

As you walked down the empty road, where cars rarely ever drove through, you look over at the low wall right before the Alola Tourist Bureau. It had a damaged portion, shaped like a ‘U’, which for whatever reason still hadn’t been fixed. It was a good spot to take photos of random Pokémon that wandered in there. You stop by it briefly and peer into the enclosed space; there were no Pokémon in sight. You weren’t expecting there to be and prepared to walk away, but before you turned, your ears pick up the sounds of distant yelling. It wasn’t the kind of yelling of a Pokémon battle – you knew that sound all too well. This was something different. It sounded much angrier. 

You look around, but there were so few people around to even notice. You look back over the wall and the yelling appeared to have gotten louder. Your curiosity was getting the better of you. You contemplate whether you should ignore the yelling or go towards it. 

“Well, I’m not doing anything else today,” you think, attempting to persuade yourself. “And I don’t plan on getting involved. I’ll just take a peek and leave if it gets to hairy.” 

With an encouraging nod of your head, you tie your grocery bags as securely as you can and carefully drop them over the wall onto the grass. Once that was said and done, you take some steps backward, run towards the wall, grab the ledge, and jump over it. The one good thing with traveling and battling as much as you did was the constant exercise. 

You dropped onto the soft, cool grass, quickly tucking your groceries under a bush, out of the light. You carefully readjust your bag, trying not to make too much noise. The yelling was more distinct now and you realize there were multiple people. You kept yourself low to the ground and close to the rocky wall behind the buildings. As you crept closer, you could make out a few words.

“…YOU…BASTARD!!…” 

“WHAT’S IT TO YOU??!…”

“YOU…DESERVE…”

You moved a bit quicker now towards the source. Suddenly, a *POP* and the bursting, waving sound of a Pokémon coming out of its ball emerged. The Pokémon made a familiar sputtering chainsaw-like sound, but you weren’t quite sure what it was. You could hear more Pokémon being released from their balls. You brought yourself as close as possible and peered around the corner. You had a hard time seeing everything, as the sun was dipping lower and lower, casting shadows of the fauna and terrain over the group.

The various trainers proceeded to call out commands, making the situation even more chaotic. You couldn’t even distinguish what moves were being made only the * Swish! Clang! Fwwoooosh! * as the Pokémon collided and attacked. You look around, desperately wanting to get a better view. You spot a boulder off to the left and luckily for you there were plenty of bushes and trees along the way. You slink nearer to the battle, keeping yourself as low as possible so as not to draw the attention of the trainers. Once you made it to the boulder, you check the fight again. 

What you saw next was not at all what you expected and you felt sick to your stomach. It was a group of trainers against a single Pokémon. The poor thing was hunched over, driven towards the wall, with its back facing the trainers. Its silvery exterior looked battered and somewhat burnt and the trainers continued to barrage it with attacks. Your skin crawled and you felt your anger boiling to the surface. 

The entire time you were watching, your hand unconsciously grasped one of the Poké balls in your bag. You felt its scratched surface and your fingers twitched as you instinctively pulled it out of your bag, pressing the button and launching the ball towards the group. The ball opened with bursts of blue and yellow light. The Pokémon you chose unfolded its dazzling mane and roared at the group. It was enough to compel the other Pokémon to jump back. Their trainers were shocked and one of them looked like they had peed their pants. Like a bad habit, you climbed over the boulder and stood beside the Solgaleo, revealing yourself to the trainers. 

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?” You shouted, hoping they could feel your fury. “How dare you attack a Pokémon that’s already been beaten! Why do you continue to torment it?!”

Some of them looked away, ashamed. But the one closest to you stood their ground and attempted to throw your anger right back at you.

“We’re making him feel how we felt! He deserves it for what he did!”

Your anger was briefly replaced with confusion. Sure, some Pokémon could be aggressive, but that didn’t mean beating it to a pulp. You ask, “What are you talking about? He deserves it?”

“He and his damned team stole our Pokémon and sold them off! I haven’t seen my grimer since they stole it ages ago!”

“Yeah,” another piped, “And the rest of us had our precious Pokémon stolen by him as well! We miss our friends and want him to feel that pain too.”

Now you were even more confused. A Pokémon stole trainer’s Pokémon and sold them? But how? And it had a team? You turn slightly and take a closer look behind you. You realize the creature was holding someone. You look down and see a glinting golden watch on the person’s arm. 

“No…It can’t be…” You think, stunned as you realize whom you were defending. You remain fixated on the golden watch and don’t dare turn to face the group again. Your mind buzzes as you think of a way to diffuse the situation. Swallowing the knot forming in your throat, you manage to bring your voice out again.

“I will deal with him,” you said as sternly as possible at that moment. “If any of you mention that I was here, I will find you and you better pray I don’t turn you into a sorry mess like you did this Pokémon. Now leave.” 

The trainers made glances at each other, looking just as confused as you were a moment ago. The one courageous person from earlier spoke up again. “But, it’s not your fight…”

“I said LEAVE.” You Solgaleo took a step forward and growled at them, its body glowing and flaring as it reared up to attack.

With that final warning, you heard their Pokémon returning to their balls and trainers’ feet shuffling as they hurried away. You turned your head forward and scanned the area to make sure no one remained. Not wanting to risk anything, you waited a few more minutes until you felt the area was secure. You direct Solgaleo to be on the lookout while you turn back to the trainer. You were hoping against all hope that it wasn’t who you thought it was. 

You turn back around and place a hand gently on the wounded Pokémon’s shell. It unfurled itself slightly, hesitantly craning its head towards you. Bright purple appendages. Cross pupils against black irises. A Golisopod. Your brow furrowed and your eyes closed as a headache began to form. You put a finger to your temple. It was definitely him. Why did it have to be him?

The Golisopod sniffed you slightly, recognizing your scent. It recoiled, pulling its head back with a bit of fear in its eyes. 

“It’s okay, I’m not here to fight you,” you say softly. 

It seemed to relax at your response and turned its head towards the trainer in its arms. It carefully laid the man onto the grass with gentleness you didn’t know a was capable of. Your gaze shifted to the man and your earlier assumption was 1000x confirmed. The unruly white hair. Gaudy shades. Black jacket. White shirt. He looked so torn up, almost as much as his Golisopod. You sigh and shake your head – this was not how trainers dealt with other trainers. 

You kneel down, but before doing anything, you look to his Golispod. The arthropod stares at you and then back to its trainer. It made a soft humming noise, which you assumed meant it was giving you the okay. You reach over and place your two fingers against the man’s neck; his pulse seemed fine. You proceed to check the rest of the damage. 

There was dried blood caked in various places: above his upper lip, at the edges of his mouth, and a bit on his one cheek. Scratches all over his face. His round gold shades were cracked and covering his eyes, which you carefully moved away. His eyes were firmly shut with those distinguishable dark bags under them. There was a scratch or two on his eyelids due to his sunglasses, but nothing too bad. You scan the rest of his body. Parts of his arms looked a bit scuffed, though none of it was bruised. There was a bit of blood on his right hand and you notice that he was clenching tightly onto something. You carefully pry open his fingers and see it’s an Ultra ball. The Golisopod lightly touched it with one of its smaller appendages and hummed which made you presume this was its ball. You pet it lightly and reassure the tired Pokémon.

You shake the man’s shoulders and say his name, but there was no response. He was out cold. You sigh again. Today turned out not to be as boring as you hoped. This, however, was not what you expected, much less wanted. You reach into your bag and release another Pokémon, this time your Bewear. It attempts to hug you, but you tell it to get your groceries before it can break your spine. You then call over Solgaleo and have it bend down. You place one of the man’s arms over your shoulder with your arm on his back, attempting to lift him. He was heavy, but that was to be expected. He was very tall and, as much as you did not want to notice, somewhat muscular. His Golisopod seemed to understand what you were doing and helped you lift the man by getting underneath his other arm. 

The two of you place him on Solgaleo’s back, close to its mane. You recalled the Golisopod back into its ball and slipped it into your bag. Climbing onto Solgaleo’s back, you urge it to bring all of you back to your home and with a roar, the majestic creature rushed to Hau’oli outskirts. 

You think to yourself, “This is going to be a long night.”


	2. Conflicted

It wasn’t long before you arrived home. Even though you weren’t the one running, you felt out of breath. Solgaleo stared at you from the corner of its eye and made a slight huff of annoyance. 

“Thank you, Nebby,” you panted, smiling sheepishly at the beast. “I’ll be sure to treat you to plenty of Poké Beans when I see Mohn again.” Nebby continued to stare at you intently. Sweat beads rolled down your face.

“Alright, I promise to give you ALL the rainbow Poké Beans I harvest.”

Pleased with this reply, the lion pointed its chin up haughtily. You rolled your eyes and chuckled at the sass. Then you remembered you had an unconscious man in front of you. You groaned and had Nebby go around the side of the house to the deck. You hopped off its back and carefully slid the man down. He was heavy and limp, which made it harder for you to support his weight. You suddenly felt him lighten immensely, but you could no longer feel the floor. You looked down and saw two large fuzzy arms wrapped around you. 

“Hey, buddy,” you laughed nervously at the enthusiastic Bewear. “How about you, uh, bring us to my room. I’ve got treats for the next Pokémon who can get me there without breaking my bones.”

A glint appeared in the bear’s eyes. It comically ran to your room and tossed the both of you down. 

“Umph.” You found yourself face down in your bed. You turned your head and remarked, “Thanks. You got the not-breaking-my-bones part down.” The bear placed its paws on its hips in success and looked at you expectantly, with the sparkling glint in its eyes shining ever brighter. You pushed yourself up and fixed your clothes, before grabbing a handful of shiny Poké Beans from your bag and tossing them at the eager animal. You quickly recalled the pink bear back into its ball as it munched away and shifted your attention to the main task at hand. 

The man was hanging off the edge of your bed and was about to fall any minute now. You scrambled to grab him before his body could slide off completely and put him into a more comfortable position. He hardly fit, with the top of his head just barely touching the headboard and his feet resting at the very edge of the bed. Wiping your forehead, you let out a heavy exhalation and looked down at him. Despite all the commotion, he was still unconscious. You shook his shoulders vigorously once more, hoping it would have some effect.

“Why won’t you wake up?” you whined. Releasing your grip, his only response was steady breathing.

Squeezing the bridge of your nose, you sense your headache had subsided, but the heat was getting to you and your stomach rumbled and tightened. You winced in pain, realizing you hadn’t eaten in a while. The room began swirling and your vision blurred as the adrenaline that kicked in during the earlier fiasco wore off. You staggered forward, ready to collapse. You stopped yourself short of falling on top of the man. Before you could help him, you had to save yourself from passing out. 

You drag yourself to the kitchen, now on your knees as you struggled to open the fridge door. You pry it open and grab some fruit, devouring them in mere seconds. You lay your head inside the fridge, allowing the cold air to wash over you. In a few minutes, some energy returned to your body, which was also cooling down to a more reasonable temperature. You take a few deep breaths before pulling yourself up. Thankfully, your Bewear had put your groceries where they belonged, albeit sloppily. With a clear head, you don your Pyukumuku-patterned apron and set out to cook a full meal.

First, you rinse some rice and pour it into a rice cooker plus the recommended amount of water. You plug in the small machine and press down the cook button, which makes a satisfying *click*. Next, you put a medium-sized onion onto a cutting board. You slice off the two ends, peel off the dry shell, halve the onion length-wise and slice it thinly. You also grab some garlic cloves. While placing the flat side of the knife on top, you bring the ball of your hand down and smash the garlic, making it easy to peel the skin off. Setting that aside, you go into the freezer and grab a packet of thinly sliced beef and lay it out on a different cutting board. You shred the red meat and lay it in a bowl. You wash your hands thoroughly as well as the boards and knives.

Moving to the stove now, you set a pan on a large burner and turn the fire to high. You pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan, waiting for it to heat up. When it seems hot enough, you throw in the onions, stirring them until semi-translucent, and adding the garlic. The fragrance hits your nose and your mouth begins to water. You toss in the beef at this point, which sizzles and changes color rapidly. You drizzle in soy sauce, grind in some black pepper corn and end with a sprinkle of granulated sugar before turning off the heat. You place the cooked meal onto a plate and as you finish cleaning up the pan, you hear the rice cooker finish. 

Scooping some rice into a bowl, you don’t bother to sit at the dining table. You stand at the counter, wolfing down your meal whilst somewhat burning your tongue in the process. You released a satisfying belch and felt reenergized. 

“Time to bathe an unconscious man,” you say aloud, knowing, but not caring, how strange that sounded.

You head to the bathroom and fill a bucket with water. You grab a few small towels and a first aid kit and make your way to your bedroom, careful not to drop anything. Once there, you set down the supplies and open your bedroom windows to allow the fresh tropical air to blow in. You take a pause to appreciate the pleasant breeze, walking slowly to pull up a chair to the side of the bed. You then get to work. You remove his broken shades, setting them on your bedside table, and push hair away from his face. You dip a towel into the lukewarm water and begin wiping away the blood. This was difficult at first as the blood was dry and very much stuck to him. Eventually it starts to let up and you can see the skin underneath. There didn’t appear to be any bruising where the blood had been and his nose wasn’t swollen. 

After patting his face dry, you gently rub antibiotic cream over his cuts and put bandages over the larger ones. You look at your handiwork and nod in approval, while also noting how peaceful the man looked. He normally had a permanent scowl on his face whenever you went up against him, but in his unconscious state, his face was quite serene. No furrowed brow or deep frown. It felt strange to see him this way and you find yourself leaning towards him, staring intently at every feature. You face flushes after realizing how close yours was to his. Quickly turning away, you force your attention to getting the rest of him cleaned up, trying to ignore the mounting embarrassment. 

You very carefully lift his upper body to remove his short-sleeved jacket. Shaking it away from you, a shower of dirt scattered across the floor. You fold the jacket and lay it next to his glasses. You lift his arms, rubbing off any excess dirt and washing off the blood that was on his knuckles. Whilst doing this, you remove the golden watch and black and white wristbands, resting these items on his jacket. You glance at his forearms and see that some parts of his skin were lighter. You tilt your head slightly and recognize the ‘S’ that once represented the now disbanded Team Skull. You couldn’t help but run your fingers along the faded symbol, surprised by how smooth his skin felt. Your fingers stop abruptly and heat burned across your face once more.

“What are you doing??” you hiss internally. “Quit acting weird, me.”

You let go of his arm, close your eyes, and concentrate on pushing away impure thoughts. You told yourself that the only reason you were doing this was because he was hurt and you didn’t want him to wake up covered in blood and sweat. You also weren’t eager to have your bed smelling like someone went and died in it. Getting back to the task at hand, you move down his body to his feet and remove his shoes and socks. His shoes were huge in your hands. You set them aside, paying no attention to the lame dirty jokes running through your head. 

You give his pants a light pat down, feeling for any items that could be in his pockets. You reach into one pocket and grab his Poké balls, somewhat amazed to find how pristine they were. Despite his messy facade, he kept his belongings in good condition. Reaching in to the other pocket, you pull out a keychain and a leather wallet. You take a peek inside the wallet and see a worn-out picture of a young boy grinning ear-to-ear. He had a gap in his front teeth and atop his head was a happy Wimpod. He had a hand raised and in it was an island challenge amulet. You frowned and closed the wallet. You remembered the visit to his house after becoming the Alolan Champion…

\---

There was a quaint home tucked away on Route 2. You weren’t sure what compelled you to go there, but there was a sense of unfinished business that kept nagging you. You walked towards the house, hearing the squeaks of the singular swing in the yard. You knock on the door and hesitantly walk in. The man standing there quickly turned around. He scowled at the sight of you and hunched over to meet your gaze.

“You little brat!” He nearly spat in your face. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, but I actually needed to talk to you. Get your rear over to the Hau’oli City Beachfront!”

He quickly walked past, slamming the front door, leaving you inside the home. A middle-aged man was off to your left, looking forlornly at an empty Pokémon’s bed. He didn’t turn around. His cracked, tired voice broke the silence. 

“It’s good for kids to experience their own journeys, but running away without even word to your parents is another thing entirely.” His voice was wavering. He cleared his throat and continued. “I tried to set that boy of mine straight, but when I did, I was the one who got beat…”

You remain silent and take in what he said to you. Your eyes wander around the house. It was clean and inviting, but there was also an atmosphere of loneliness. Your feet moved towards a room in the back. An old wooden sign was hung on the front. Your hand reached for the door knob and turned. Your heart was pounding in your chest as you took a step inside. 

The room was quaint like the rest of the house. Faded blue wallpaper lined the walls. To your left, a stereo sat atop a small dresser along with stacks of CD cases. You walk over to the neatly made bed and graze the surface with your fingertips. A sad, musty odor reached your nose. It looked as if no one had slept in it for a long time. You look over to a cabinet with trophies, which had a thin layer of dust. You notice out of all of them, only one was silver; the rest were bronze. You hear the door creak open and an older woman stepped in. Her hair was a silvery gray and it seemed to glow against her dark skin. Before you could apologize for intruding, she spoke.

“I know that there were a lot of rumors flying around, saying that our Guzma was up to no good and doing terrible things…” she paused and you could see that years of sadness made her look so aged. Her voice barely a whisper, she completed her thought. “…but I know it was all just lies.”

You stare at your feet and bite your lip. It was painful to see these people in this state. You walk over to grab the woman’s hand in your own and squeeze it lightly. You didn’t say anything and could only give her an empathetic look. She smiled faintly and squeezed back. 

“Guzma has actually come home a few times since…all that. And he told me to give you this if you ever came by.” She reached into her pocket and handed you a worn disc. You look at the writing scrawled on its cover: TM87 Swagger. “It was always one of his favorite TMs. He won so many trophies when he entered battle competitions with the Pokémon that he’d taught to use Swagger.”

You looked at the disc and then back at her, eyes wide. Why would he give you something like this? After a few moments, you leave the room, closing the door behind you. You could hear the woman weeping quietly. You wished you could do more, but you were a stranger in this house and your head was spinning with a million thoughts and questions. You stagger towards the front door and passed by photos of happier days. One picture stood out amongst all the others, with a tall boy clasping his island challenge amulet with the clear glow of pride…

\---

You blinked several times, coming back to the present time. You tuck the wallet under all his belongings, struggling with the guilt of intruding on something so personal for a second time. An odd mix of emotions churned inside of you as you stared at him. It was making it hard to breathe and just as you were about to let it all out, a pale-yellow creature floated in front of your face. It poked your nose and you smile. 

“Thanks, Cutie,” you mutter, wiping a small teardrop from the corner of your eye, “You saved me there.” 

The Pokémon poked you one last time before hovering over the man on your bed. It became entranced with his white hair, circling around his head several times. It landed in the poof, settling in and disappeared into a sea of white. A laugh escapes your mouth and your emotions subside, if only for a moment. You clean up the supplies and fish out a thin blanket from your closet. You lay it over the man’s body and gently tuck him in. You sit down briefly next to his sleeping body, reaching over to check for your Cutiefly in his hair. The small creature had fallen asleep. You smile again and stand up, shutting off all the lights. 

Moonlight shone through the windows and the breeze caused the curtains to lazily swell. You linger in the doorway and after taking one last look at the bed, you quietly close the door. With your back pressed against the wooden frame, you slide down to floor and pull your legs up. Burying your face into your knees, you curse at yourself. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” your harsh voice cuts through the air. The inner turmoil intensified and you slammed a fist onto the floor. 

You raise your head and stare up at the ceiling, wondering why these feelings existed. You didn’t want this. Sympathy. Sorrow. Anger. Frustration. Longing. A knot formed in your throat at the thought of the last one. You buried your face into your hands now. He did so many terrible things and you couldn’t turn a blind eye to it. Why did you save him then? Why did you put so much effort in taking care of him?

“Because you did want this. It makes you happy to be around him,” whispered a small voice in your head. Your bottom lip quivered. “No, it’s not true…”

Your thoughts are interrupted by a high-pitched *whew whew*. You look for the source of the sound and you see your bag shifting. It fell over and an Ultra ball rolls out. The ball expanded in size, popped open, and out came the Golisopod. It hummed and stretched itself out, inspecting its surroundings and settling its gaze on you. The Pokémon still appeared battered, but it was much more energized after having rested. It walked towards you and kneeled, using one of its appendages to touch your wet face. It made a sound and ruffled your hair with another appendage.

“I-I’m okay,” you sniffle, quickly wiping your face with your hands. You gesture to the room. “He…He’s in there. He’s sleeping right now, so I think it’s better if we just let him rest.”

The Golisopod looked at the closed door and back to you. It seemed to understand what you were saying and resigned itself to sitting in front of you. Several minutes passed and you stood up, grabbing one of its arms. 

“Let’s get you to the Pokémon Center.” 

You grab your bag and the two of you make the short walk to the center nearby. When you entered, Nurse Joy looked alarmed. She and her Blissey quickly rushed to the Golisopod’s side and took it into the back. You watched through the window as the Pokémon was tended to. Nurse Joy came out and looked at you sternly.

“I understand that you’re a trainer and you have to battle. But don’t let your Pokémon get this injured. There’s no telling if the next time it battles that it’ll survive.”

You simply nodded your head, too tired to argue that this wasn’t your doing. The Blissey escorted the Golisopod back out. It was all wrapped up in various places, looking like an oversized Silcoon. You chuckled at the arthropod, who seemed quite pleased with all the attention. You thanked the Nurse and went home. When you were back, you bent over to pick up the Ultra ball and clicked the button, but the Golisopod nudged you with its head. It shuffled over to a corner and sat down, adjusting itself into a meditation position. It closed its eyes, but kept one open to see what you would do. You shrunk the ball and put it away. The Pokémon made a content hum and entered a tranquil state.

“I should do the same,” you think. Your body moves by itself and lays down on the couch. Exhaustion finally hits you and you fall into a very deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this chapter seems a bit slow. I wanted to create some more build up before we jump into things. As I continue to write this story, I will try to pace it better. Also, you may have noticed a bit more detail in the cooking part - I love food and you may end up reading more parts like that. If that's not your thing, I'm sorry.   
> Also, I realized how many typos I made in the previous chapter - makes me hurt inside haha. Hopefully there aren't too many in this one.  
> Anyway, thank you again for reading. I am so surprised by all the positive reception! I am so grateful to you all for giving this story a chance. /whispers/ I love you. ;_;


	3. Breakfast

Chirps and shrills of Pikipek and Oricorio could be heard faintly throughout the house as the sun emerged on the horizon. Light filtered through the windows and slowly brightened the room, rousing a certain someone from his slumber. He grimaced and scrunched his crusted eyes while pulling a pillow over his face. 

“Ugghh,” he groaned into the pillow. Unexpectedly, he felt something squirming on his head. He lifted the pillow with increasing displeasure as the light burned his sight. “What the fuck?”

The writhing creature popped its pointed nose out and gasped for air. Its high-pitched breathing puzzled the man. He ran his fingers through his hair and felt a small round object moving in the tangled mess. He cautiously, but deftly grabbed the Pokémon with his index finger and thumb, bringing it in front of his face for closer inspection.

“The fuck are you doing in my hair, little runt?” he mumbled. He released his grasp on the Pokémon, who squeaked at him in frustration. He chuckled and gestured it away. 

The comfort of the bed made him not want to get up, so he stretched himself out, bringing his hands behind his head. With one hand, he rubbed the crust out of his eyes and opened them wider. Aware of his surroundings now, he realized this was not his room; the walls were brighter, the room was bigger, and there were plush toys off in the corner. He glanced down and saw the bed spread was different too. 

“What the…” He was confused, but hardly cared. He didn’t want to think too hard this early in the morning. 

*scratch scratch scratch* He turned his head towards the noise. “What now?” Grumbling to himself, he sat up, threw his legs over the bed and trudged to the bedroom door. He turned the handle and was almost immediately tackled to the ground. His Golisopod hummed ecstatically, rubbing its face all over him. 

“Oof, woah,” he laughed. “Good to see you too, bud. What’s got you all excited?”

He playfully wrested with his Pokémon and petted its head vigorously. His laughter subsided when he saw the bandages all over the arthropod. He stood up quickly and examined his Golisopod with a look of concern. 

“Yo, who the fuck did this shit to you?” 

The Pokémon blinked at him and bowed its head slightly. It clacked its appendages together, nudging him again. The man relaxed and let out a big sigh. He placed a gentle hand on the Pokémon.

“It looks like you’re okay, but when I find out who did this,” he clenched his hand into a tight fist as he said this. “I’m going to fucking kill them.” 

Meanwhile, on the couch, you were curled up in a fetal position and still asleep. You were deep within a dream, or perhaps more of a memory…

\---  
You found yourself standing at the ramp leading to the Hau’oli City Beachfront. There were tourists sparsely spread around the beach, but you were desperately looking for one particular person. Your searching halted when you saw the tall, hunched over man. His eyes met yours and stared back sternly, and you felt yourself drawn to him. The world fell silent as you approached and after what seemed like an eternity, you stood before him. He scowled, but his features were softer than before.

“So, you showed up…” he said slowly. “Well, it’s time to battle ya boi! This is to make up for when I had to disband Team Skull! Just so you know, I’ll never change!” He placed his hands on his hips like he did so many times before and put on a shit-eating grin. “Wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form—it’s ya boi, Guzma!”

A rush of excitement flooded your chest. The two of you walked in opposite directions, creating a scene you would find in an old Western film. With your hands on your Poké balls, you were filled with determination. You swiftly spun around and commenced the battle. Both of you were shouting commands left and right. Your Pokémon could sense your energy and fought harder than when you went up against the Elite Four. In the end, you emerged victorious. Guzma spread his arms out and gave you an incredulous expression.

“How come I can’t crush you?!” He waved his head around, tugging and rubbing his hair wildly. “Guzma! What is wrong with you?!” He stopped and glared at you. “This outcome hasn’t changed at all either!”

Although he seemed furious, you could tell his demeanor was brimming with exhilaration. He was having fun. Suddenly, he was right in front of you and he hunched over to bring his face closer to yours. You could feel his hot breath and those fierce, silver eyes staring into your core. You gulped and felt something was off.

“I don’t remember this happening,” you thought. Everything faded to black as he leaned in closer…

\---

Your eyes flung open and you heard yourself gasping. A shadow loomed overhead and the same silver eyes from your dream stared at you intensely. 

“Am I still dreaming?” This notion was quickly dispelled.

“Why the hell are you here?” he sneered. 

You jolted up and subsequently bashed your head against his. The two of you made a simultaneous “argh” and clenched your heads in pain. 

“What is wrong with you?!” he shouted. “I was just asking a fucking question.”

Pain seared through your head and his loud voice only made it worse. You groaned and pressed your face against the couch. He continued to grumble and spout expletives. You raised your hand to silence him.

“Th-this is my house,” you said in a raspy voice, bringing your head up to meet his glare. Guzma looked at you as if you had slapped him across the face. 

“The fuck? Why the fuck am I here?” He looked down at himself and then back at you. The gears in his head were finally starting to turn. “Wait, did you STRIP me?”

You put on your best poker-face and responded in a robotic tone. “I had to.”

“What do you mean you HAD to?” In one large stride, he was hovering over you again. 

“I-I…” Words failed you. He was intimidating, especially when he was angry. But more than that, the feelings from yesterday were coming back and making your mind go blank. You were having a difficult time focusing on him and could feel yourself tilting. His angered face quickly flashed to one of alarm.

“Hey, are you okay?” 

You shook your head. The room was swirling and you hobbled backwards, the sensation of falling overtaking you. You clenched your eyes and braced for impact, waiting to hit the hard tiles. Moments passed and you didn’t undergo having your skull bash against the floor. You pried one eye open and saw Guzma with his arms crossed. You looked up and your vision was filled with purple. The purple underside of a Golisopod. It bent its head and nuzzled your hair, humming happily. You weakly caressed its face, thankful for its kindness. 

“You two sure seem friendly,” Guzma said sarcastically. He was impatiently tapping a finger against his arm. “So, mind telling me what the fuck is going on? Why am I in YOUR fucking house? Why’d you strip me of my shit?”

You leaned against the arthropod and took a few moments to collect yourself. You could hear the tapping become increasingly faster, while also creating a rhythm. The Golisopod supported you as you turned to answer.

“You were being attacked,” you began slowly. “I stepped in before any more damage could be done.” His stare dug into you and his jaw clenched, but he remained silent. You continued. “I scared off the trainers who were attacking you and brought you home. The reason I had to…remove your belongings was to assess your injuries and to clean you up.”

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain why my Golisopod is all fucked up.”

“It was protecting you while you were unconscious. I didn’t even know it was yours, much less that you were there, until I intervened. All I saw was this poor fella being attacked by a hoard of trainers.” You stopped to give the Pokémon a light hug before responding. “I couldn’t stand to see that happening.”

He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled. “Fuck…” he swore under his breath. He frowned and crossed his arms again. “Why’d you help me? You could’ve just left me there to rot.”

You paused. He was right. Why did you help him? You wanted to stop the fighting. You didn’t want to see a Pokémon beaten until it died. You could have just dropped him off at a hospital. But something compelled you to bring him home. A yearning deep within you. You gulped and averted your gaze.

“It…it wouldn’t have been right, to…to leave you there after all that,” you stammered. Your mind quickly thought up an excuse. “Y-y’know, being Champion of Alola means I should also look out for others. It’s, uh, it’s my responsibility. Yeah.”

You cringed at your own answer. It was so lame; even you could tell how badly you were lying. You laughed nervously. Guzma scratched his chin and smirked. 

“Uh-huh. If it’s your responsibility, that means ya boi Guzma doesn’t owe you nothin’.”

“What?” you said aloud. He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pants. The smirk on his face grew and it irritated you. 

“I’m just sayin’, CHAMPION, it’s your job to be an upstanding citizen. And by saving me, you were just, ah, doin’ your job. The satisfaction of helping your fellow Alolan should be enough payment.”

Now you were the one scowling. You shot daggers at him. Normally his words didn’t get under your skin, but today you were especially sensitive. He was riling you up on purpose. You knew it. He knew it. You let it happen anyway. 

“EXCUSE ME? I stayed up ALL night to save your unconscious ass. I patched you up and made sure you were safe. I even brought your Golisopod to the Pokémon Center and got chewed out by Nurse Joy when it wasn’t even MY fault. AND,” you really stressed this part. “I let YOU sleep in MY bed. I had to sleep on the fucking couch!”

He grinned and started laughing. “Ohhhh man. Hahaaa! You’re so easy to piss off. What happened to that composure? I don’t think a CHAMPION is supposed to be cursing.”

Your temper was reaching its limit. You let go of the Golisopod and stomped towards Guzma. You grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down to eye-level. He stopped laughing at this point, taken aback by your strength.

“Now you listen here,” you hissed through clenched teeth. “I did you a FAVOR. By now, those trainers I rattled yesterday are probably telling every god damn person in Alola that I saved YOU of all people. My title and reputation are probably sinking faster than a ship taken down by a Tentacruel. After everything you’ve done, the least you can do is repay me.”

“Tch.” He pushed you away, though not as forceful as you were expecting. “I was just joking around. No need to shove that rock up your ass even further.” He turned his head away. “What do you want? Money? I got plenty of that from being at the Battle Tree and—”

“No,” you said abruptly. “You have to do better than that. It has to be meaningful.”

“Meaningful?! What, you want me to write you a love song and rap it to you? Fuck off and just take my money.” You walked up to him and punched his arm.

“I’ll think of what you can do later. For now,” you turned and walked into the kitchen. “I’m fucking starving. You wanna eat?”

He looked at you in disbelief. He was thinking about how quickly the mood changed from pissed off to hunger. He then felt his own stomach grumbling and twisting in pain. He sighed dejectedly, pulling a chair out from the dining room table and plopping himself into the seat.

“Yeah,” he grumbled. 

You smiled and felt somewhat at peace. Your anger had subsided so quickly it left you a little light-headed. Regardless, you pushed onwards to making breakfast. You couldn’t help but feel giddy at making a meal for two. It had been a while since you cooked for anyone besides yourself since your mom was back in Kanto spending time with her parents. 

First, you brought a dish out and poured Poké beans onto it, leaving it in front of the Golisopod. Its eyes seemed to water and it looked at you with immense gratitude. It cheerfully chowed down on the delicious treat. Out of the corner of your eye, you could tell that Guzma was watching you. Pretending not to notice, you returned to the counter and got to work. 

Whether or not it was a good thing, you still had your Pyukumuku apron on from last night. You opened your cupboards and pulled out a loaf of bread. You took a few slices and popped them into a Rotom-powered microwave oven. While that was going, you went into the fridge and grabbed some eggs and scallion. You cracked the eggs into a bowl and whisked them vigorously, until the clear albumen and bright golden yolk combined into a beautiful yellow mixture. You washed the scallion under cold water and chopped it finely, tossing it into the scrambled eggs. For more flavor, you poured some soy sauce and a dash of chili powder into the mixture.

Quickly going into the freezer, you grab a small packet of bacon and laid out the strips onto a non-stick pan. You put the pan onto a burner and let the bacon sizzle and cook. When the bacon looked crispy enough, you took out the strips and placed them on one side of a large serving platter. Turning the heat down to medium, you picked out any burnt crumbs left in the pan then poured in the egg mixture and swirled it around the pan, watching as it solidified. You took a pair of chopsticks and stirred the eggs until all the wet spots had cooked through. You turned off the heat and dished out the eggs on the other side of the platter.

With a *ding*, the microwave oven popped open. You carefully took out the toast and stacked them onto a different plate. You grab both plates and set them out on the table, swiftly moving to grab utensils and smaller plates to eat from. Guzma stared at the food before him and drooled. As soon as you gave him a fork and dish, he dug in. You sat across from him and watched as he devoured everything in sight. You dove in just as hungrily. The plates were so quickly cleaned up and polished to the point where there wasn’t even a speck of food left. Guzma let out a massive burp and patted his stomach.

“Man, I haven’t had a meal that good in ages. You sure know how to cook.”

You grinned smugly and gave him a sly look. “Seems like you owe me another favor.” He narrowed his eyes and snorted.

“I’m in enough debt as it is,” he said, a smile creeping onto his face. “I’ll clean the fucking dishes.”

“Fair enough,” you laughed. The two of you smiled at each other and you could feel an odd relationship beginning to form.

This was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping that my notes don't stack like they did last time... o_o  
> If they do, just know that the top-most comment is the most recent one!
> 
> Sorry for the delay in putting this chapter up - admittedly it is a bit shorter than the others.  
> Work's been pretty draining and I had a hard time figuring out how to lay this one out as there was a lot of dialogue.  
> I tried to capture Guzma's personality to the best of my ability - I think I'm getting there, but I need to develop it further. 
> 
> Also, thank you all again for the kind words and positive feedback!  
> It's so exciting to write again and I'm glad there are many of you who enjoy the story thus far.  
> Please let me know what you think and I'll see you in the next chapter!


	4. Weakness

Although he offered, Guzma was none too happy about the situation. Somehow, you convinced him to put on your apron and you ended up laughing so hard you fell on the floor. It did not look natural – this rough-around-the-edges man in a cutesy apron. He was ready to murder you. You wiped the tears from your eyes and went to hide on the couch. You sensed he might throw the dishes at you if you stayed in his field of vision. You flipped on the TV and sat next to Guzma’s Golisopod. It was like a small child on a field trip and it purred as you scratched its chin.

*knock knock knock*

You glanced at the front door. “Who could that be?” You wondered. You stood up and walked towards the knocking. Guzma also looked over to see the visitor as you opened the door. An elderly man, hunched over, stood in the doorway to greet you. You gave him a quick look over; he was dark-skinned, balding, and wore khaki shorts with knee high socks. You raised your eyebrow.

“Yes, may I help you?”

The old man raised a fist to his mouth and coughed. He cleared his throat and said, “You are the one they call Champion?”

“I am. Who are you?”

He waved his hand dismissively and spoke again. “That’s not important. A certain…interested party sent me here to you…to give you this.” With a shaky hand, he reached into his pocket and handed you a mysterious card. “You should have a look at what it says. But…” His voice dropped to a whisper and he peered over your shoulder, making brief eye contact with Guzma. “Take care where you read it. No one else is to know of my visit or that card.” The old man abruptly stood up a little straighter and bolted away. 

“He sure runs fast for his age,” you thought momentarily. Your curiosity pulled you away from your thoughts and you examined the folded purple paper. It had a light spiral-like design; it reminded you of the Ultra Wormholes that appeared at the Aether Foundation. Your brow furrowed and you opened the card. The message scrawled on the inside was brief: Route 8. Akala motel. Right-most guest room. Be there at xx day at 8 PM. You recall the current day and realize that the date on the card was only a few days away. You tucked the card into your pocket discretely, turned around and closed the door behind you. There were a million questions running through your head, but you kept your face neutral and headed in the direction of your bedroom. 

“Sup?” Guzma asked, causing you to halt.

You faced him and forced a small smile. “Nothing. Just some weird old guy.” He stared at you skeptically and pried further.

“What’d he give you?”

“A piece of paper. I can’t even understand what it says.” You did not enjoy lying, but something at the back of your mind was telling you it was necessary.

“Huh.” He looked back down at the sink, setting the last plate on the drying rack. He wiped his wet hands on your apron, removed it and tossed it onto the counter. He plopped onto the couch with an arm resting on the back and turned to the TV.

“I…have to go shower,” you said, moving towards your room again and sniffing yourself. You grimaced at your own unpleasant scent. “It was a long day yesterday and I didn’t get a chance to last night.”

“Yeah, I can smell you all the way from here,” he teased. 

“I’ll be quick, then I can take you to the hospital.”

“What for?” he retorted. “If I can clean some fucking dishes, I think I’m fine.”

“I just want to be safe. You were in bad shape yesterday and I couldn’t check every spot. Also, I can’t tell if anything was damaged internally. I don’t think you want to find out by doing something stupid like tripping and breaking a rib cage.”

“Tch.” He stretched himself out on the couch, his feet dangling off one of the sides. “Whatever.”

Relieved that he would stay, you rushed to your room, grabbing clean clothes from your drawers. You went into your bathroom, placed your clothes onto the counter and squinted at your reflection in the mirror. You had been wearing your glasses since yesterday and massive pressure overwhelmed you when you blinked hard a few times. You nearly ripped off the frames and commenced rubbing your eyes vigorously, trying to soothe the burning sensation. It was strange that you hadn’t noticed how painful it was earlier when you were laughing your ass off. You examined yourself once more, shocked with your appearance. 

“I look like a ghost,” you muttered. You touched the dark bags under your eyes, thinking how similar you looked to Guzma. You shook your head and stripped off your clothes, tossing them into the woven hamper off to the side. Reaching into the shower, you twisted the knob to between the cold and warm setting. You used your arm to test the temperature and when it seemed just right, you stepped in, feeling the water rush over you. 

The water made it feel very apparent how dirty you really were; all the sweat, dirt, tears, and possibly blood, ran down your body and into the drain. You shuddered a bit and hugged your naked body. There were so many things going on and it was all happening so quickly. You thought about how this was supposed to be a relaxing break, but it was even more stressful and challenging than being Champion. At the same time, it was an exciting change of pace from the daily grind, especially since a certain someone was within arm’s reach. You imagined the way he laid in your bed, his peaceful face, the feeling of his skin under your fingers…his soft unruly hair…

As your mind drifted, one of your hands wandered from your chest downwards past your stomach and to your private area. Covering your mouth with your free hand, you shut your eyes and pleasured yourself. The sensation grew into a burning need as your hand worked faster and more desperately. You envisioned his intense gaze and could hear his gruff voice in your mind. Gasping into your hand, you reached your climax and euphoria surged through your body. The intensity made your legs give way and you dropped to your knees. Only the sounds of your heavy breathing and sprinkling water could be heard. 

After a few moments, you came back to your senses and stared down at your hand. The viscous liquid lingered on your palm before being washed away. An unpleasant feeling of disgust arose. You couldn’t control your impulse. At least the bathroom was at the far end of your house and you hoped that you kept just quiet enough that no one heard, especially THAT person.

*schlik skrreee* You froze and looked to the scraping sounds. It was coming from the window next to the shower and you made out a familiar silhouette. You pulled yourself up, cursing your shaky legs. You slid the window open and a muzzle popped in, releasing a quick exhale from its nostrils. You immediately felt relieved and rubbed the Pokémon’s cheek. It pulled back almost immediately, bending its head now to glare at you with disdain. 

“Geez Nebby, you scared the crap out of me,” you said with a light laugh. “Also, it’s your fault for snooping while I’m showering.” The white lion shook the water off its face and sauntered away. There was just no pleasing the cosmic creature. 

You closed the window and cleaned yourself up. You may have been in the shower longer than anticipated and the man in the living room was not very patient. You stepped out of the shower and dried yourself off. You took one last look in the mirror, seeing some color had returned and the bags under your eyes seemingly less severe than they had been earlier. After throwing on your clothes, you stumbled out of the bathroom. Your legs were still a little wobbly, but you forced yourself to stand straight and not give away any inkling of your sensuality.

Creeping down the hallway, you surveyed the couch. You were expecting some yelling or at least complaining, but the man wasn’t there, nor was his Golisopod. You crept out further and saw your bedroom door slightly ajar. You tiptoed and peered through the slim opening. Eyes wide, the warmth at your core began to bloom again. Guzma was standing before your full-body mirror, only in his boxers. He was examining himself…and so were you. 

You gulped, raptly entranced by his bare body. With any trainer, one grew to be in decent physical condition due to traveling long distances and sometimes through harsh terrain. That didn’t necessarily mean one ended up looking like an athlete, but it was not uncommon. And, unsurprisingly, he was toned all around, from his shoulders down to his legs, his muscles distinct, but not excessively large. His back was dotted with old scars, some large, others small, which appeared in various tones on his tanned skin. There were also bruises and you worried that he had probably damaged more than his fair share of muscles.

You leaned in, wanting to get a closer look, but quickly realized your mistake. The door hinges made a faint *squeak* as you pushed the door open further. Despite your weak legs, you deftly step to the side and hold your breath, praying he didn’t catch sight of you. You heard him turn and walk slowly towards the door. Thinking fast, you observe that the door to the deck was wide open. You make a large leap and dive outside, pressing yourself firmly against the house’s exterior. Listening again, you hear Guzma’s voice.

“Yo, don’t touch their shit,” he berated. “I don’t wanna owe this person any more than I already do.” 

Realizing he wasn’t addressing you, you release your breath. You could feel your heart thumping in your chest and you take in several large gulps of air to get the oxygen circulating. You wait several minutes before approaching your room again, this time with a clearer head. Luckily, the door was closed and you tapped it with your knuckles. 

“G-guzma? Are you in there?” You knew he was, but you weren’t about to give that away. “I, uh, didn’t see you on the couch, and my bedroom was closed, so I figured—“

“Yeah, I’m here. Gimme a sec, I had to check something.” You heard rapid shuffling and rustling and before long, the door flew open. You took a step back and felt a little bit disappointed. He was fully dressed in his signature getup: black tracksuit and all the accessories, even his shades that were cracked. He raised an eyebrow, perplexed by your reaction. “What’s wrong with your face?” 

“Uh, nothing…I’m still a bit tired.” You rubbed your hands nervously. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

“...’kay.” He maneuvered around you, but paused and looked at you from the corner of his eye. “Just sayin’, you took your sweet ass time showering. I thought you were gonna be quick.” Your face flushed and you remained silent, bowing your head slightly. He thought about saying more, but shrugged. “Whatever, let’s go.”

You were ashamed, but pushed past the feelings. You could dwell on them later. For now, you walked with Guzma to Iki Town as there was a local doctor there and you knew this was the best way to avoid any prying eyes. Also, you weren’t keen on going to the Pokémon center any time soon since Nurse Joy was sure to chew you out for a second time. You were both quiet as you strolled through the winding dirt path as neither one of you could think of what to talk about. You distracted yourself from the awkwardness by focusing on the flora. The flowers and plants of Alola were all so beautiful and radiant under the sun. Everything was brimming with life and positivity and it was hard not to feel at peace here on the island. 

That was the main reason your mom wanted to move here. Although you suspected it was also because she had a thing for Professor Kukui at some point. You couldn’t blame her; he was a very wholesome guy and you could tell he put considerable effort into everything he did. You knew deep down that mom loved dad more than anything in this world. And Professor Kukui was very much in love with his spunky wife, Professor Burnet. All of a sudden, you felt a hand tap your arm. You jumped in surprise and struck a karate-esque pose. You saw Guzma’s hand outstretched in front of you. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards.

“We’re here,” he said, smirking and gesturing to the door. “After you, Karate Master.”

Your face reddened with embarrassment and you straightened up. You walked up the steps to the wooden house and knocked. The door opened after a minute and a short elderly woman answered. 

“Oh, why hello, Champion,” she said, surprised to see you. “To what do I owe the pleasure of such a grand visitor?”

“Hello Doc. I actually need you to look at a…” you hesitated, thinking of the right word to use. “…a friend of mine. He was hurt yesterday in a battle.”

“Hmmm.” She rubbed her chin and eyed the man behind you. “Ah, I see. Well, come on in.”

She shuffled back inside with you and Guzma following, although he had to bend down since the doorway was shorter than usual. The doctor walked to a worn cot and patted it with one hand.

“Over here, young man. Have a seat.” Guzma silently complied and sat down, his weight causing the frame to squeak. 

The doctor motioned you to a bench on the side. She shuffled to a room off to the side and came back holding a tray with tea and pastries. She set it on a table next to you and grabbed the tea kettle, pouring the contents into a ceramic cup. She handed it to you and smiled. 

“This should make you feel better. While you enjoy that, I’ll go ahead and see to your friend.”

The warmth of the cup in your hands was welcoming and you brought it close to your face. You inhaled the herbal fumes and could sense its soothing qualities. Taking a sip, you watched as she went back to Guzma and directed him to take off his jacket and shirt. You looked down, choking a bit on the hot drink. How many times were you going to see him shirtless? You stared intensely at the swirling liquid in your cup, but couldn’t avoid taking multiple glances at him. 

The doctor conducted the usual routine check: blood pressure, heart rate, temperature. Using a stethoscope, she listened to his heartbeat as well as his breathing. She jotted some notes onto a paper pad snapped to a clipboard. She tilted side to side, looking at him from afar, assessing all the damage and gently pressing various parts of his torso. Guzma didn’t seem phased as she pressed down on his bruises. He was quiet, only answering with either a brief ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as the doctor asked him questions.

“Hum, hmmm.” The doctor nodded a few times and whistled. A Deliberd popped its head out of one of the rooms and flapped towards her. It opened its bag and the doctor rummaged through it. “A ha! Here we are.” She pulled out some wrapped packets and ripped one open. Inside were light brown colored patches. She took a pair of surgical shears and cut the patches into smaller strips, applying them to Guzma’s various bruises. “That should make the bruising heal faster. I’ll give you a few more and you can reapply them over the next few days.”

She turned to you now and said, “Your friend is fine. Just a few scratches here and there. Overall, he’s in good shape. Just needs to relax and take it easy while he recovers.”

“Excuse me,” he interrupted, the annoyance in his voice clear. “You could’ve just told me, doc. I ain’t a child and that person sure as hell isn’t my parent.”

The doctor waved her hand and continued. “I know you, Guzma. Ever since you were a child, you were so stubborn. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t listen. I trust your friend here can make sure you take care of yourself.” 

He grumbled, but didn’t say anymore and instead put his clothes back on. You were comforted with the news and you felt your stiff muscles loosen. However, the fatigue was setting in and the elderly woman noticed right away. 

“Why don’t you two stay a little while? It’s almost lunch time and this old woman could use some company.” 

You looked to Guzma to see his response and he merely shrugged. You gave him a tired expression and answered her. “We would love to join you.”

“Excellent! I’ll get right to cooking and I’ll let you know when I’m done.” 

She disappeared behind a curtain and the clanking of pots and pans could be heard. You allowed your body to relax. You heard movement and the bench cushion shifted. The space next to you felt warm and you opened your eyes slightly. The first thing you saw was a golden watch. You kept your head down, not wanting to make eye contact. He made a small cough.

“Hey, I, uh, appreciate what you did for me. And for my Golisopod.” You were unsure if what you were hearing was real. 

“Did you just…?” 

He scoffed. “Don’t take it the wrong way. I’m still gonna beat you down one of these days. Wanna see what destruction looks like? Here it is in human form–“ 

“It’s ya boi, Guzma,” you said, finishing his sentence. He scowled, but that changed almost immediately into a cocky smile.

“That’s right and don’t you forget it.”

“Hard not to,” you yawned. Without any thought or concern, you placed your head against his shoulder. You felt him stiffen, but he did not move away. You murmured, “Sorry, can you let me rest here for a minute? I’m afraid if I lie down, I won’t wake up for a while.”

“Uh, s-sure.”

You felt that the two of you were in your own tranquil bubble. Maybe it was due to the events of yesterday. Maybe it was that drink you were given earlier. Maybe it was because you gave in to your desire. Whatever it was, you were just happy to be there in that moment with him and hoped he felt the same. 

“Thank you,” you whispered. All at once, a high-pitched ringing resounded through your head, causing you to lurch forward and hit the floor. 

Your vision blurred and everything faded into black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a thing. Was it a good thing? /lays down and thinks about existence/ _(：3 」∠ )_
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Here is a fresh new chapter, right outta the brain bakery. I hope you enjoy its toastiness.  
> Let me know what you think.
> 
> I must now head to dream land and catch up on sleep. Goodnight everyone and see you in the next chapter.   
> _(-ω-`_)


	5. Tapu Cocoa

“Mmmhhh.” A muffled groan vibrated in your throat as you awoke from your unconscious state. A dampness had sunk into your clothes and skin, causing you to shiver. Your eyes slowly opened, taking in your surroundings, which were blurry at first but gradually came into focus. The first thought that came to your mind was a starry night. What looked to be dim lights speckled the black ceiling in varying colors. Confusion quickly took hold and you realized you were lying on a very hard surface. Your entire body was tense from stiff bones and aching muscles. Turning yourself over, you touch the ground with your hand; it was cold, smooth, and oddly textured. You struggle to push yourself up, your body begging you to stop. 

Eventually, you manage to sit up, but your head throbbed with pain. You found it hard to breathe and the frigid air was like a fire searing the inside of your lungs. You clench your chest and force yourself to take in slower, more deliberate breaths. When the pain dulled somewhat, you tilt your head upwards and scan the environment. What looked to be pillars rose from the ground to the ceiling and each one had glowing, conical shelves jutting out. There were also smaller structures with similar glowing formations sticking out. It all felt familiar, this cavernous place, like you had been here previously.

A faint, chiming sound caught your attention and you turn your head to find the source. You catch a glimpse of a white figure. It reminded you of a girl and she appeared to be wearing a round hat and bubbly dress. You muster up some strength and attempt to call out. 

“H-hey!” Your voice barely louder than a whisper. “Ex-c-cuse me, can you help me?” 

The figure stayed in place and seemed to not have heard your call. You try again despite the pain of straining your throat. 

“Hello? Please, I need help! I-I’m in a lot of pain and I don’t know where I am. I-I…” Your voice trails off as you see another figure rush in and attempt to tackle the girl. You gasp, expecting a heavy collision, but the individual phased through the girl. You stare in confusion and an uneasy feeling grows within you as you watched the scene unfold. 

The individual quickly whipped around and tried grabbing what you thought was a girl. You quickly understood that it was anything but and it too turned around to face the individual. The white figure was an opaque jellyfish-like creature and it curled its tentacles, almost as if in frustration. This was the same creature that appeared at the Aether Foundation and possessed Lillie’s mother in…

“Oh no.” 

You were in Ultra Space. Again. But why? A sharp pain shot through your head and you felt yourself reeling. Grasping your forehead, you tried remembering the name of the creature. You rack your brain and it dawned upon you. Nihilego. That was the name Lusamine had used. All of a sudden, a pair of white, high-top sneakers stepped into view and stopped in front of you. Your eyes gradually move upwards and the realization sinks in. Baggy black pants, loose white shirt, short-sleeved jacket. A gold chain with a large skull pendant. Messy white hair.

“Guzma…what…what are you doing here…?” You wheezed. He merely glared at you, his silver eyes more intense than ever. They glowed brightly in the darkness and you watched as he leaned over and grabbed you by the neck, lifting you up. You gasped for air and weakly tapped his hand, but his grip was firm. He pulled you close and continued staring at you. You then notice that his arm was glowing somewhat. There was a flickering, like a malfunctioning neon-light, that eventually settled and became defined. It was the Nihilego. It had clung itself onto Guzma with its tentacles running along his arm. It made a chiming noise and you felt Guzma’s hand tighten. 

“Gu—zma. Please. Stop…”

You writhed and struggled as much as you could, but you had no strength left. Tears formed at the corner of your eyes and rolled down your face, which was turning more blue with each passing moment. You could feel yourself losing consciousness and as your vision blurred, you took one last look at him. His whole body was shaking and you saw that his face was wet. You weakly raise a hand, reach over, and wipe his cheek, gently caressing it. His body shook more violently and his hand had loosened somewhat. You let out one last feeble breath. A high-pitched screech reverberated in your head as you slipped into the abyss…

\---

*GASP*

Eyes wide, you stare blankly at the ceiling. Your body and mind were in a state of shock and many minutes passed before the gears started turning again. The instant your mind started running, your eyes darted back and forth, searching for any hint of glowing rocks or speckled lights. It was bright and you could feel your rapidly beating heart settle into a calmer rhythm and although your body was drenched in sweat, you welcomed the warmth. Instinctively, you reach over and touch your neck, remembering the hand that was clamped around it. When you realized there was nothing there, you let out a relieved exhale and begin to cry. Your body shuddered from the sudden reaction and a tight feeling formed in your chest. 

“Guzma…”

You sharply inhale to stop yourself from crying and search for him, but there was no hunched over man in sight. A tinge of sadness dug into your already conflicted emotions. Somehow, you bring your body up to a sitting position and you look again. There was no one around and after a few moments, you recognized this place as the doctor’s home. You sniffled and looked down at yourself. A thin blanket covered your legs. To your left was a small side table with a roll of gauze, forceps, and a container of cream. Your head throbbed slightly and you reached up to touch your forehead, wincing in pain when your fingers made contact. The soft and finely textured fabric wrapped around your head and underneath you could feel there was a raised bump. Your ear twitched at the approaching sound, a pitter-patter of small feet, and you turned to see a little white and red head pop out.

*Chirp chiirrp?* The delivery Pokémon walked out from the doorway and waddled to you. It flew onto the cot and sat at your feet. You reached out and gave the bird a hug, burying your face in its soft feathers. It wriggled, but you held onto it firmly. 

“You shouldn’t do that,” a voice said. “He doesn’t like it when other people touch him.”

You glance up and see the elderly woman standing next to you. You release the now-angry Pokémon, who squawked at you before hiding behind the woman. 

“Sorry doc. I…I really needed a hug,” you whispered. The doctor looked at you sympathetically and gently held your hand, patting it with another. 

“I know, dearie. You seemed to be struggling with something very difficult. I did what I could to make it less painful.” 

You bit your lip and nodded. Difficult was an understatement. What you experienced was too real to be a dream. The cold. The pain. Suffocation. You gulped and squeezed her hand, all the while trembling. The doctor stayed in place until you calmed down. Eventually, you let go and bowed your head, feeling overwhelmed with emotions and exhaustion. 

“The tea I had given you was only supposed to help you relax,” the doctor said. “I wasn’t expecting it to knock you out the way it did.” 

You looked up at her and shook your head. “It’s okay. I don’t think it was the drink. Before passing out, I heard a loud ringing. I’m not sure what it was.” 

“Hmmm. You may not be getting enough sleep. Or perhaps there’s been a significant change in your regular routine?” 

“The latter,” you said sheepishly. 

“I’m assuming it has to do with a certain young man?” 

“…Yes.” You thought that she was very perceptive or maybe you were too obvious. You glanced around the room once more and asked, “Where is he anyway?”

She sighed and cleaned up the medical supplies on the side table. She shuffled into the kitchen, coming back out with a covered bowl on a small tray. She set it onto the table and spoke. “That foolish young man said he had better things to do and left not too long ago. He wouldn’t say it aloud, but I know he was very concerned for you. In my entire life of knowing that boy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him react the way he did when you collapsed.” 

You looked at her in surprise, but also smiled. “What happened?”

“Well, he rushed to me and couldn’t even spit out a coherent sentence. He proceeded to drag me in here and waved his arms around like a mad man. I had to snap at him to get him to be quiet and told him to place you on the cot. When he carried you, he acted like he was holding a bomb. He moved so slowly I even had to tell him to hurry up!”

You chuckled, imagining him doing all that, content that he regarded you with such importance. “That’s good to hear, haha! I apologize for the trouble he gave you. Did he say if he was coming back?”

“Hmm, well, he said he would be back later this evening to, and I am quoting here, ‘Check up on that idiot. You had better make sure they’re alive cause I still owe ‘em.’ So, I expect he’ll be here in the next few hours or so.”

You felt relieved and thanked the doctor again. At the same time, however, there was an unsettling thought sitting at the back of your head. You wondered what that dream, or better put, nightmare, was all about. Were you afraid of him? Was this a vision? It didn’t make any sense to you. You were not afraid of Guzma and there was no need to go back to Ultra Space. So then why did that come up suddenly? You racked your brain for answers, but to no avail. Your thoughts were interrupted when you felt a light tapping on your arm.

“I see that you’re preoccupied, but…” The doctor opened the covered bowl and some steam escaped. Your mouth watered at the smell of whatever its contents were. “…I made you some broth. You need to eat and get some energy back into that weakened body of yours.”

Without any reservation, you chowed down on the dish and burned your tongue. It was delicious and filled you with a pleasant warmth. Once you finished, the doctor had you lie down and rest. You obliged, yawning, and stretching out on the lightweight bed. You closed your eyes and relaxed. 

\---

Meanwhile, in the Hau’oli Outskirts, your one and only boy was making his way to your house. He had already stopped by his house on Route 2 to clean up and don a fresh set of clothes, but something was amiss. There were no more clean jackets left in his drawer and his mother wasn’t planning on cleaning any of them until the weekend. He shoved his hands in his pockets, self-conscious without his favorite short-sleeved jacket.

He trudged along and passed a sleepy lion in the yard, who peered at him with a half-open eye. He gave the lion a wary look before walking up the steps to the front door and turning the knob. He cautiously stepped in and cursed the humidity and heaviness of the air. It was stuffy since the A/C was still not functioning, but he continued nonetheless. He glanced around to make sure no one was around and then immediately headed to the back of the house and into the bathroom. He searched around, opening cabinets and even lifting the toilet seat. He also peered into the trash, but it was empty. 

His eyes caught a glimpse of the woven hamper, which was tucked away behind the bathroom door. He lifted the top and found what he was looking for. A purple card was partially sticking out from the khaki pants you had worn earlier. He pulled it out and opened it carefully, reading the message inside. His brow wrinkled in confusion.

“What the fuck is this all about?” he muttered. 

He took a mental note of its details and slipped it back into the pant pocket. He placed the hamper cover back on and quickly departed the house. Before leaving the home for good, he reached into his pocket and tossed a rainbow Poké bean at the lion. Nebby swiftly caught the colorful food into its mouth and chomped with delight. 

“I was never here, ‘kay?” The cosmic creature licked its lips. It seemingly understood him and purred, curling into a ball. Guzma smirked and went about his business. He briefly stopped by the Poké Center and purchased two cups of his favorite drink. It was a drink well known for helping one relax and he figured why not enjoy a cup while he made his way towards his next destination.

He sipped from the covered paper cup and walked the winding dirt paths to Iki Town, like he did this morning, and felt a wave of nostalgia. Along the way, he paused at various points. He was remembering a time long past, when he used to rush excitedly into town to train with Kahuna Hala. Well, to him Hala was Master and always would be. He frowned and recollected his battles with Kukui. The damn bastard was always smiling even when he lost. He dismissed these thoughts to prevent any more from surfacing. There was a reason he chose to forget.

“Tch. The past should just stay in the past…” 

He moved more quickly now and made it to a petite house at the edge of town. Another memory tried to emerge, but he shoved it back. The sun was lazily dipping in the sky and his shadow almost seemed to swallow the door. It made him hesitate and he took a few moments to make sure he didn’t look too concerned. He did not want anyone to think he was a softie. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the wooden frame and waited. When no one answered, he knocked again, this time more loudly. 

“One moment!” said a muffled voice. The door swung open and he had to crane his head down even further just to see the small doctor. She crossed her arms and looked right back at him. “Alola. Welcome back.”

“Yeah. Can I come in?” he said, putting on an aloof attitude. She stepped to the side and waved him in.

“Everyone is welcome in my home. Even you.”

He wanted to throw a sarcastic remark at her, but held back. He was more concerned about you. He walked towards the cot you were resting on. Your eyes were still closed and to him, you appeared to be sound asleep. He sighed then noticed a short stool and table next to your bed. He set the cups in his hand onto the table and sat down, having to pull his legs up a bit as he was clearly too tall for the seat. Scratching his head, he drummed his fingers on his knees before speaking.

“Hey, uh, doc, are-are they okay now?” 

She sat down in a rocking chair in the opposite corner and responded. “Yes, our beloved Champion is doing well. I patched them up and gave them a filling meal. They’ve been resting for a while now.”

He felt reassured and reached over to poke your cheek. You made a face and opened your eyes to stare at him.

“What are you doing?” you said, rubbing your cheek. He pulled his hand back and pointed to the cups.

“You, uh, want some Tapu Cocoa?”

You smiled wryly. He had a cute way of making you feel better. You nodded and sat up to receive the cup. You held it in your hands, feeling its warmth permeate your palms. Bringing the opening to your lips, you drank the sweet, smooth, and silky liquid and let out a satisfying *ahh*.

“Thank you. It’s really tasty.”

He grinned. “Yeah, Tapu Cocoa is the shit!”

You choked mid-gulp and laughed, spewing the contents onto yourself. “Guzma! Don’t say stuff like that while I’m drinking.”

“Yo, I’ll say whatever the fuck I want—“

“AHEM.” The doctor coughed loudly. “No profanity in this house, PLEASE.”

“Feh, whatever, doc,” he grumbled. “Just tryin’ to have a good time.”

“Well, a good time to me would be enjoying a hearty meal with family, which you two will be for tonight since we didn’t get to enjoy lunch earlier today.” 

The doctor stared intensely from her seat and you both felt you wouldn’t be able to leave until you had a meal with her. Also, Guzma hadn’t eaten lunch and you were still feeling weak. You nodded hastily and he crossed his arms, also nodding. The doctor’s stern expression changed into a beaming smile.

“Ooo, this is so exciting. Been too long since I cooked for this many,” she said, her voice fading as she shuffled into the kitchen.

Now that you two were somewhat alone, you took a moment to think and speak your mind.

“It’s been a crazy few days, huh?” 

He turned to you and nodded slowly. “Yeah, don’t think I ever expected to run into you of all people. Much less be indebted.” 

You frowned slightly. He continued mentioning how much he owed you, like it was a bad thing. “Look.” You looked down and gripped the blanket as you spoke. “I know I made a big deal out of saving your life, but I don’t want you to think I’m forcing you to do anything for me. I just…” Your voice trailed off.

“You just what?” He asked. You could feel his gaze penetrating your soul and you fidgeted.

“I……..I enjoy your company,” you finally said, your face burning like a hot stove top.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice he had uncrossed his arms and began tapping his knees rhythmically. It was a long time before either of you spoke. You thought about speaking up, to maybe take back what you said, but he broke the silence first. His voice was low and his words deliberate. 

“I don’t…dislike you. I must admit, things seem more exciting with you around. But we are not friends.” Your heart sank and your body drooped ever so slightly. You heard him clear his throat and he continued. “At least, not yet.”

You turned and stared at him, stunned at the last line. Your sinking heart shot up into your throat and your eyes began to water. He stared back at you, also somewhat shocked.

“Hey, woah, don’t go cryin’ on me now. Geez, you are one big baby, y’know that, right?”

You laughed and wiped your eyes. “I know, I know, I can’t help it. I’m just…really happy to hear you say that.”

You sniffed then smiled at him, your expression overflowing with cheer. He was taken aback by your reaction, but couldn’t resist smiling either. Whatever negative feelings you had were purged by just this one hopeful statement that you two could become closer. You wanted to hug him, but the temptation was stopped when you heard the doctor’s gravelly voice. 

“Dinner’s ready! Gotta enjoy the food while it’s piping hot!”

A simultaneous grumbling came from both of your stomachs and you both chuckled. As you attempted to stand up, Guzma noticed you were shaky and offered a hand. You glanced at it and then looked at him. He raised an eyebrow and moved it closer.

“C’mon, we better get movin’ or else she’ll yell at us.” 

You nodded and raised a hand to meet his, which was warm and much larger than yours. The two of you made your way into the kitchen and spent the evening listening to the doctor’s chatter, but also enjoying each other’s company. 

\---

Unbeknownst to the inhabitants of Melemele Island, a glowing slit appeared at the edge of the Berry Fields in Route 2. The air crackled and an ominous gust blew out. The slit widened and expanded until it became a passage. Out floated a pale white creature, which swayed back and forth in the breeze. The passage closed and the creature was left to its own devices, drifting amongst the greenery and disappearing into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your patience! ( ´•̥̥̥ω•̥̥̥` )
> 
> I'll try not to make any excuses about why it took so long to put this chapter out.  
> Just want to let you all know that a new semester has begun and as a result I'll be focusing mainly on my classes.  
> I'm also working full time, but I'll do my best to write a little bit each day and update the story on a more timely basis.
> 
> As usual, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter!  
> I hope the shifting perspectives was clear and that the transition was smooth.  
> As you can tell, I'm setting the story up for some exciting stuff.  
> Be prepared and I'll see you in the next update!


End file.
